


To Taste the Stars

by Qzeebrella



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-05
Updated: 2008-06-05
Packaged: 2018-08-16 05:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8088781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qzeebrella/pseuds/Qzeebrella
Summary: Jon looks out at the stars





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: the pairing is only vaguely implied and could be read as Archer/someone else, or at least I think so. It's mostly a Jon character study though.  


* * *

I look out at the stars  
My old familiar friends  
The guides that led me here   
To this moment in time  
In which I am nestled in their embrace  
And they are so close to me  
I could taste their dust  
Tantalizing on my tongue

The first taste   
Was of probable adventure  
And promising hope  
Hope that friends would be met  
And made into allies   
There among the stars  
Hope that there would be no end  
To the trail of discovery  
Hope that there would always be  
More to learn  
More to share  
No matter how far we went

The second taste   
Was of seasoned experience  
Gained through trial and error  
Where I was taught  
That not everything is what it seems  
That sometimes you'll be betrayed  
Sometimes you'll be hurt  
Sometimes you'll be terrified  
But the journey  
And the friends joining you upon it  
Make it worthwhile

The third taste  
Was the fulfillment of dreams  
As new friends were made  
New things learned  
New worlds explored  
And lasting love found  
In the most unexpected place  
At the most inconvenient time  
With the most exasperating man

The fourth taste  
Was of bitter pain  
Through an unexpected attack  
That ripped away the dreams  
And replaced them with heavy responsibility  
Of love broken by the weight  
Of guilt and anger and obsession  
Of friendship bruised by vengeance and hate  
Growing out of control  
All of which made the cost  
Of tasting the stars  
Crash cruelly upon the tongue

The fifth taste   
Was of harsh experience  
In times of war which made  
The hardness of heart  
The dirtying of soul  
The sour acid of compromise  
The slimy aftertaste torture brings  
The foul taste of murder and pain  
Slosh all around

The sixth taste  
Was of hope again  
Fragile, delicate hope  
Hauntingly sweet on the tongue  
As destruction was averted  
Peace attained through great cost  
And the wound of heart and soul and mind  
Slowly healed

The seventh taste  
Was of bruised friendship healing  
Broken love mending  
Joy returning ever so slowly  
A joy found in the scattered stardust  
In our path  
Stardust that reminded us  
Of all that remained to be discovered  
That reminded us to savour  
Just how delicious exploring could be  
And to treasure  
All that we learned about ourselves  
While out among the stars

And now  
Now the stars taste exhilarating   
They carry the promise of unexpected discovery  
They tease the tongue with hints  
Of what they may teach us  
If we are truly ready to learn  
They hint at what they may have to share  
If we prove ourselves worthy  
They tantalize us with what we might find  
If we're willing to look  
At ourselves  
Deep into our own hearts   
And see

We are made of stardust  
And made to shine  
Through learning to take the risk  
Of exploring ourselves  
Of discovering our heart's core  
Of sharing ourselves with others  
Of holding onto hope  
No matter how hard that may be

And taking the opportunity to taste  
Taste all that life offers  
The sweet and the bitter  
And never forgetting  
It will always be worth it  
To reach out towards the stars  
And take a taste.


End file.
